To man cult is a strong word. It is the elephant in the thread we are all trying to avoid.

I tend to use cult in the academic sense.

Non-destructive cults do exist, and this was the category I was placing Scybermonk's group into. Not that of Heaven's Gate, or Jim Jones' group (or, for that matter, a certain group counting Tom Cruise amongst its' members founded by a writer of lousy sci-fi. Hail Xenu!)

You guys keep pointing out all the mistakes that the students make in thier firsty matches against me. WHat part of Firsty is somehow unclear to you? For most of them, this is the first time they have even set foot in a dojo of any make or description, and I have pointed out, here and on the site, that a firsty spar occurs before any instruction is given. So how, exactly, am I to teach them before I teach them?

The way I'm reading this thread, this isn't about the skills of the 'Firstys'. IMO, the mistakes they make are merely the BACKDROP of people discussing and pointing out the technical and teaching mistakes you are making.

Calm down, it's only ones and zeros.

"Your calm and professional manner of response is really draining all the fun out of this. Can you reply more like Dr. Fagbot or something? Call me some names, mention some sand in my vagina or something of the sort. You can't expect me to come up with reasonable arguments man!" -- MaverickZ

Non-destructive cults do exist, and this was the category I was placing Scybermonk's group into. Not that of Heaven's Gate, or Jim Jones' group (or, for that matter, a certain group counting Tom Cruise amongst its' members founded by a writer of lousy sci-fi. Hail Xenu!)

Of course there are non-destructive cults. To me this is borderline. When you are fake stomping women, bouncing heads off the ground, power tripping, dojo renaming, etc. it is hard to see it as non-destructive.

Heck I wasn't even talking about the firsty spars. I was talking about the vs. spars that are separated from the firsty.

Compare them Tom, they are just as bad if not worse.

Heh, I don't really need to. After watching him toss a 'Firsty' with no training in a fashion which put that person at great risk for a serious shoulder injury (posting an arm on landing), then reading him explaining that he can't be soft on a newbie because it would mess up the purpose of such a session, is all I needed.

With large disparity in skill, an experienced practitioner/teacher of throws and other takedowns has a multitude of choices in the manner in which they toss someone of no skill. There are many ways in which not only can reduce the risk of injury, but also slam that person with far greater intensity. All you have to do is watch Ryan Loco get tossed repeatedly by Sokoudjou and to know what to look for. Although there was one or two which might have been more risky than others, Ryan seems to be put at very little risk overall - even getting suplayed (Ura Nage @ 5:22): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijKcamMgS0o

Last edited by Tom Kagan; 8/16/2007 12:59pm at .

Calm down, it's only ones and zeros.

"Your calm and professional manner of response is really draining all the fun out of this. Can you reply more like Dr. Fagbot or something? Call me some names, mention some sand in my vagina or something of the sort. You can't expect me to come up with reasonable arguments man!" -- MaverickZ